Re: Wind Farms.
"1. The wind is inconsistent, unsteady and unpredictable."
Always some wind somewhere. When it does blow, it's free energy so who cares? Just site the turbines where wind is known to be reasonably consistent.
"2. Wind power is not cheap and like many energy sources, rely on government subsidies to remain competitive."
Wind is free. The turbines cost money of course as does their maintenance. The government wraps this stuff up with subsidies and makes the equipment cost prohibitive to keep us dependent on fossil fuels to get the profits rolling in.
If you gave individual towns/villages the option of setting up their own wind turbines to power just themselves, not the grid, things would be different.
"3. Wind farms are generally located in rural areas that might be otherwise picturesque. They are considered by some people to be an eyesore."
Whilst that is true these people are "Vicar of Dibley" numpties with no sense of the big picture. They're all about Women's Institute baking and having the right country vestments. Most likely they grumble about the cost of fuel and the EU but when it comes to making the UK self-sufficient in terms of energy they are clueless and largely ignorant. We need lots more solar and wind power. And the next leg of it all, heat pumps is coming soon.
"4. Some people complain of noise from the turbines."
NIMBYs. They come up with anything they can. My own parents who live in a country village opposed planning for wind turbines. Came up with all the usual nonsense. Eyesore, noisy, kill birds, frighten horses. Just a bunch of "Vicar Of Dibley" idiots. They could have had their entire village powered freely by wind turbines if they had an ounce of nouse about them.
"5. Wildlife impact. Not only birds, but bats have experienced fatalities."
How many more are killed by other animals. Birds of prey killing other birds, cats, car impacts etc ?
All of the excuses are just the big energy moguls spreading misinformation and propaganda to keep themselves in clover.
We HAVE to end the age of fossil fuels and put to rest the fuel moguls.